Cheat Sheet

Hypoglycemia For Dummies

Hypoglycemia is a condition you definitely have to pay attention to, but once you get in the habit of choosing healthy foods and avoiding processed foods that can wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels, you can enjoy a healthy lifestyle without too much thought. Making the transition can lead to cravings for the old, bad foods, but you can come up with strategies to deal with those and find that the cravings weaken over time.

Foods to Choose if You’re Hypoglycemic

You can help manage your hypoglycemia, often referred to as low blood sugar, by choosing foods that improve your condition. You can enjoy a variety of foods, and the foods in the following list are tasty and healthy:

Organic meats (grass-fed, if possible), vegetables, and fruits whenever you can

High-quality protein (fish, poultry, lean meat, free-range eggs)

Fresh fruits, preferably with a meal or half an hour before. Eat blueberries and raspberries often; stone fruits, such as peaches and nectarines, are also good. You may not be able to tolerate fruit initially. If that’s the case, wait several months before trying again.

Foods to Avoid if You’re Hypoglycemic

Controlling low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is easier if you just say no to foods that can throw your blood glucose levels out of whack. The following list of foods and food groups are those to avoid:

Having arguments or debates or discussing unpleasant topics while you’re eating can affect your blood sugar as much as the foods you eat. So save the tough talks for a later (or earlier) time.

Tips for Living a Hypoglycemia-Friendly Lifestyle

Dealing with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, takes some attention, but doesn’t have to dominate your life once you get in the habit of living a hypoglycemia-friendly lifestyle. In reality, the tips in the following list are good advice for anyone who wants to live a healthy life:

How to Deal with Hypoglycemic Cravings

Hypoglycemia seems to be about all the things you can’t have. But as you progress in your recovery, your senses, which had been dulled by artificial seasonings and sweets, will wake up, and you’ll discover that you’re enjoying food more than ever — and what’s more, you’ll be brimming with good health. Use the information in the following list to help you beat temptation:

Toss it. Go through your cupboards, pantries, refrigerator, and desk drawers, and toss out anything and everything on the list of foods to avoid. If you need your favorite fix, you’ll have to get into your car and drive to the store, or do something equally inconvenient.

Breathe. When you get strong urges to eat something non-hypoglycemically-correct, take in very deep belly breaths. Continue taking in deep belly breaths until the craving dissipates. Aim to breathe like this for at least five minutes. Don’t despair. It won’t always be this way.

Bathe. Go take a bath or shower. Water can help clear stagnant energy, and soaking in a hot bath can help relax you. For stress relief, pour lavender and chamomile oils into your bath.

Drink. Sometimes you may have a yen for a certain food when actually you’re thirsty. Instead of giving in to your cravings immediately, slowly sip a glass of water. Wait at least 15 minutes before you decide whether you feel hungry or not.

Meditate. Ask yourself what feeling you’re trying to experience by eating the food you’re craving. Comfort? Love? Security?Meditate and bring the feeling into you. Visualize a balloon hovering above your head, and let it expand. Fill it up with all the sensations you want, such as peace, bliss, or healing. The balloon is starting to glow like the sun. Now let the balloon pop, and let its contents cascade down onto you, filling up all the cells of your body. Let your body absorb everything fully and completely.

Visualize. Picture yourself happy and healthy — free of all food addictions. Imagine what life will be like when you recover. Think of what you’ll gain then, instead of how deprived you feel right now.

Pause before caving in. Don’t give in to the urge right away. Bargain with yourself. Tell yourself, I will eat in ten minutes or a half hour — and you better mean it! Use the time to figure out what’s behind the urge.

Switch and unbait. Switch to something that’s similar, but without the harmful effects. For instance:

Make your own ice cream using cream, protein powder, and an alternative sweetener, such as stevia.

Instead of cola, drink club soda with lemon.

If you crave the cool smoothness of ice cream or sorbet, make a delicious fruit smoothie. Use whatever fruits you like. Get frozen fruits as well as fresh ones and experiment with flavor and texture. (Avoid a smoothie if fruit precipitates a blood sugar drop.)